Revenge in stilettos

up to s

ons blaring from the living room. No Caleb shouting

sil

of habit, half-expecting to find his tiny foot in my

and shuffle toward the kitchenette. One cup, one plate, one

Then the job

r, laptop on a crate I've turned into a makeshift desk. My finger

le, in a gri

rician appointments, and trying to make Mark love me again. My Linke

e that line in every cover letter, like it's supposed to excuse my abs

applications. I doubt I'll

buzzes.

en from 3B. She said s

liveryman holding

th Carter

t's

t over wit

return address. My first thought is Mark. B

n the

de and a flash drive. There's a s

. You can be b

at my first job out of college. We lost touch after my se

crying until a tea

he book to

ompletely forgo

ater, I land

or a junior backend engineer. I'm overqua

g, shoulders sagging like I've borrowed someone else's

lass walls, minimalist furniture, e

l anc

r?" the recep

stand, pal

han I expected. The CTO, a woman name

says gently. "You've

tems for ColdcareAi. I also contributed to a

oot up. "That w

. "Than

andidates today, but none of them

It's small,

a week. I step out of the building f

doesn't l

e a week until things stabilize. The screen flickers and there he

, forcing brightn

y," he sa

the background. "Five minu

t my

was s

aid you used to write r

d on things that helped co

's bo

mile. "Maybe. But it's a

're going to a pizza party o

t this time, sweet

Can I go now? I want to watc

se," I s

ye

f before I

My reflection stares back-eye

sn't m

gone thr

k Rita sent. I haven't opened it again. Not

nd design principles. It's dry. Technical.

s blur. Then I plug

ew short notes in Rita's voice. "You wrote this one u

sm

do t

, I apply to fiv

ensive. A luxury tech investment firm-Blackthorn Systems.

y makes m

mpany page. The founde

ll Th

covers. Investment headlines. Ruthles

e the c

ly an

ot? What do I

like I'll ever a

gh